Author Topic: Flat file drawers (Read 98220 times)

paul waines · « **Reply #75 on:** August 14, 2016, 06:43:50 AM »

So the one I moved into the Garage is now filled with new stuff only...

Monster_A_GoGo · « **Reply #76 on:** February 24, 2017, 05:54:45 PM »

So i am just now starting to put things in my flat file--finally. And that means NEW QUESTIONS! Ugh! How do you keep previously rolled items FLAT in the flat files? i am having a LOT of trouble with that. Thanks!

erik1925 · « **Reply #77 on:** February 24, 2017, 08:39:59 PM »

Quote from: Monster_A_GoGo on February 24, 2017, 05:54:45 PM

So i am just now starting to put things in my flat file--finally. And that means NEW QUESTIONS! Ugh! How do you keep previously rolled items FLAT in the flat files? i am having a LOT of trouble with that. Thanks!

Might be best to unroll the posters and then press them under some weight for a while before trying to put them in the drawers?

Ive read, too, that some people reverse roll them for a period of time and that this can help ease up the curl.

50s · « **Reply #78 on:** February 24, 2017, 09:06:26 PM »

Maybe a flat sheet of acrylic/perspex to weigh the stack in the drawer down

erik1925 · « **Reply #79 on:** February 24, 2017, 09:34:34 PM »

Discussed here too:

http://www.allposterforum.com/index.php/topic,9356.0.html

erik1925 · « **Reply #80 on:** February 25, 2017, 01:08:50 AM »

Quote from: eatbrie on April 06, 2016, 07:19:31 PM

A few thoughts from someone who owns 8 flat file cabinets.

1. Do not mix rolled posters and folded posters in the flat file. They do not like each other. One drawer for each.
2. 27x41in US OS posters align perfectly on top of each other. I can stack up to 350 in one drawer, no plastic bags needed. Folds will attenuate over time.
3. Rolled posters live in tubes. That's where they thrive. You can just add them one inside the other until your tube is full. You can usually put 40-50 posters per tubes. I keep my tubes vertical to avoid waving.
4. Try to keep posters of the same size together... ie. German A1 together, French medium together, Italian locandinas together, etc. Do not mix them up. It will prevent posters from impressing into each other.

T

And how often do they need to be watered?

Monster_A_GoGo · « **Reply #81 on:** March 01, 2017, 12:22:26 PM »

MORE questions! Okay---for the file, I know I keep folded and flat/rolled separate, but do I just unfold and layout the folded posters on top of each other? Do I need to line up the fold lines? Do I need something in between each poster (i.e. acid-free tissue paper or something like that)? If so, where can I buy the proper size in bulk? THANKS

jedgerley · « **Reply #82 on:** March 01, 2017, 04:29:56 PM »

I would actually press them flat beforehand such that they lie so flat that the folds arent even an issue. Like investing in some foamcore boards maybe 12 and putting a single folded poster in between and letting some set for a while under a good bit of weight. Then your flat file wile hold more and they will always be perfectly flat.

Monster_A_GoGo · « **Reply #83 on:** March 01, 2017, 05:50:05 PM »

Flatten EVERYTHING? This is going to take forever... THANK YOU though.

jedgerley · « **Reply #84 on:** March 01, 2017, 06:02:09 PM »

Quote from: Monster_A_GoGo on March 01, 2017, 05:50:05 PM

Flatten EVERYTHING? This is going to take forever... THANK YOU though.

Maybe it is bad advice...but I already gave some bad advice this week about backing a folded NOES quad so I think I got giving out bad advice out of my system for now ha ha.

.
I used foam core with some quads and they are perfectly flat.
I too feel your pain. So many that the task feels impossible. You have so many cool ones. Maybe do just flatten some of the better folded ones. And for rolled ones you can sneak several between foamcore or a hard surface and weigh them down really well for a few weeks. Hard to get enough weight on them inside the drawers sometimes.

erik1925 · « **Reply #85 on:** March 01, 2017, 06:05:45 PM »

Shawn i would think that many of your more vintage (those not on glossy, slightly firmer paper) will begin to relax and lay flat once you unfold them and lay them in the drawers. The paper is more relaxed and "soft" (for lack of a better word) to begin with.

And the added weight of those on top will only speed up that flattening process, Im thinking.

Monster_A_GoGo · « **Reply #86 on:** March 01, 2017, 06:41:24 PM »

Thank you, JASON and JEFF. Do I need the acid-free tissue paper between each poster? That will be another small fortune. I'm starting to dig through my rolled posters now---some awesome treasures here and there (and a lot of junk...and others that are ruined. Waaagh!). Once I go through everything, see what I have, condense it down, etc. I hope to "thin out the herd" a bit. (Well, a LOT.) But thank you so much for your help.

erik1925 · « **Reply #87 on:** March 02, 2017, 01:22:36 AM »

Quote from: Monster_A_GoGo on March 01, 2017, 06:41:24 PM

Thank you, JASON and JEFF.

Do I need the acid-free tissue paper between each poster? That will be another small fortune. I'm starting to dig through my rolled posters now---some awesome treasures here and there (and a lot of junk...and others that are ruined. Waaagh!). Once I go through everything, see what I have, condense it down, etc. I hope to "thin out the herd" a bit. (Well, a LOT.) But thank you so much for your help.

I think you may receive various POV on this question, Shawn. Some collectors do this and others don't see it as all that critical (based on posts I've read here on the forum).

Monster_A_GoGo · « **Reply #88 on:** March 02, 2017, 01:45:19 PM »

Well, I ordered a bunch. (An expense I don't need now, but...). I'll use what I get for my better stuff and then, when I'm out, the other stuff can fend for itself. EEK!(I know I'll end up buying more...ARGH.) Thanks!

Monster_A_GoGo · « **Reply #89 on:** March 02, 2017, 01:54:12 PM »

I also went ahead and am trying the micropaper Darian was talking about (just saw his thread about this):

Microchamber paper:
https://www.bagsunlimited.com/product/7408/microchamber-paper

Do you think that if I put the paper behind my framed posters in the frames with the foamcore boards that are NOT acid-free, it would help me from having to replace all of the foamcore? Hmm.

erik1925 · « **Reply #90 on:** March 02, 2017, 02:02:04 PM »

It sounds like it would act as a bit of a barrier, so I'm thinking that it certainly couldn't hurt.

guest4920 · « **Reply #91 on:** March 16, 2017, 11:48:07 PM »

It might just be less expensive to linen back every poster you own. Nice and flat that way.

That microchamber paper can get expensive. I use it on the comics I collect and they recommend 3 sheets per comic covering the whole page, One inside the front cover, one in the center and one inside the back cover. All cut to the size of the comic (I think CGC uses these in the comics they grade before finally sealing them). I don't know if a small sheet would protect a poster from a "non-acid neutral" foam core board. The microchamber paper is kind of used in comics (so I've heard) to help leach out and trap the gasses the paper releases and to help halt any further deterioration.

The comics also, get stored in Mylar and with an acid neutral board in each. So hopefully that collection of mine is as good as it will ever be.

It would be crazy to try to store each poster in Mylar. Just too expensive. Although that would help the flattening issue.

So maybe linen backing is your best bet after all (as long as you steer as far away from Posterfix as possible)?

Also, I've heard that some flat files have tops over the drawers to prevent papers from curling and getting caught when the drawers are opened and shut. (I can imagine this in my head as I've seen similar things on a smaller scale). So maybe you could just get some really thin plastic to lay across the top of the drawer in lieu of them having an "anti-curl" cover built in?

I am so going to build some of these in the near future. All of this flat file talk has got me hyped up about having a few for myself. And I can't wait to try to build them exactly how I imagine would benefit poster collectors.

Let's see... That will be #999 on my list of things to do now.

I can't wait to hear what you decided to do and how it all turns out! Good luck!

marklawd · « **Reply #92 on:** March 17, 2017, 07:37:04 AM »

Quote from: 2footlong on March 16, 2017, 11:48:07 PM

...It would be crazy to try to store each poster in Mylar. Just too expensive. Although that would help the flattening issue.

It depends how you use it. 95% of my collection (around 3000 posters) is stored flat in mylar but some pockets have up to 25 low-value posters within them. There is nothing that beats a combination of mylar pockets and plan chests in my opinion.

Mark

paul waines · « **Reply #93 on:** March 17, 2017, 12:24:56 PM »

Shawn, what Jason says is correct, do flatten them. It don't take as long as you think, and it's not a one at a time kind of thing, I do up to maybe 20 at once for a couple of days, then the next batch...

As for anything between, I never bother. I keep any poster with stains, etc away from the heard, other than that just bung them in. You will always get a slight rise where folds are in the pile, but over time it helps flatten them more. I do find people can be quite obsessive with paper, but bear in mind these have lasted tens of years without our help...

DarianCastle · « **Reply #94 on:** April 05, 2017, 05:00:23 PM »

Can someone post a link to a foamcore board that can be used for flatting posters? I can't seem to find one that is the right size, they all seem a bit small. I only need 2 also, any help appreciated.

thanks
D.

CJ138 · « **Reply #95 on:** April 05, 2017, 07:15:44 PM »

Quote from: DarianCastle on April 05, 2017, 05:00:23 PM

Can someone post a link to a foamcore board that can be used for flatting posters? I can't seem to find one that is the right size, they all seem a bit small. I only need 2 also, any help appreciated.

thanks
D.

Darian,
Are you storing your posters in a flat file? Just my opinion, but if you are only looking to flatten, consider magnets. If you are stacking, many collectors stack posters on posters.

DarianCastle · « **Reply #96 on:** April 05, 2017, 10:15:28 PM »

hello,

I don't have a flat file but it's a large archival museum box made for posters that allows you to store them flat. I have about 100 posters all on top of each other with the once rolled ones on the very bottom. I don't have any weight on top on them but, the posters at the bottom are getting the weight of the others on top. I rotate the posters position in the stack a little to try and even them out. I'm just looking for a better way to get them flat.

thanks
D

Chris9000 · « **Reply #97 on:** June 05, 2017, 03:56:46 PM »

I don't use the microchamber paper, but rather plain unbuffered, acid free tissue paper in between. It's still not cheap (12qty 30x40" for b/w $10 & $12), but fairly cheaper than the aforementioned alternative.

I don't know if it's better or worse, or how much it actually does, but it gives my type-A warm fuzzies, so I roll with it.

You can find it on Amazon here: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KNPLLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Monster_A_GoGo · « **Reply #98 on:** June 05, 2017, 05:08:55 PM »

YOU are AWESOME for the link. THANK YOU!

Chris9000 · « **Reply #99 on:** June 05, 2017, 07:45:36 PM »

Quote from: Monster_A_GoGo on June 05, 2017, 05:08:55 PM

YOU are AWESOME for the link. THANK YOU!

Happy to help!

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Author Topic: Flat file drawers (Read 98220 times)

guest4920